The Water Cycle

The Earth always has the same amount of water. This water
moves through stages, called the water cycle. The water cycle is
important to life on Earth, and the Sun plays an important role
in the cycle.

Did You Know?

The water you drink today could have been
used in a dinosaur’s bath!

Accumulation condensation. Water droplets

Accumulation is water stored in the air form clouds. But
in rivers, lakes, oceans, and in even on a clear day, there is
the soil. Oceans hold most of the always water in the air.
Earth’s water. Groundwater is
Precipitation
in the soil and is absorbed by
When more water joins the
roots to help plants grow.
clouds, they get heavy.
Evaporation
The water falls back to Earth,
Evaporation happens when
which is called precipitation.
the Sun heats up water and
Precipitation gives water
turns it into water vapour.
to plants and animals.
Water vapour is a gas in the
Precipitation can be:
air. Water can be evaporated
from plants. This is called • rain;
transpiration. • hail;
Condensation • sleet;
When water vapour is in the
• snow.
air, it cools and turns back
to a liquid. This is called

The water will now go through the cycle again.

 The Water Cycle
Questions
1. Match each word to the correct definition.

Precipitation Water stored in lakes and oceans.

Rain, snow, sleet or hail.

Evaporation
Water vapour cools and returns to
Accumulation liquid.

Condensation The Sun heats up water and it

becomes water vapour (a gas).

Transpiration Water evaporated from a plant.

2. Check the true statements.

The Earth always has the same amount of water.
The Moon is important to the water cycle.
Oceans hold most of the Earth’s water.
3. List the four stages of the water cycle.

1.
2.
3.
4.
4. What are clouds formed of?

5. Explain the process of evaporation in your own words.

6. Why is precipitation important to plants and animals?

 The Water Cycle
Answers
1. Match each word to the correct definition.

Precipitation Water stored in lakes and oceans.

Rain, snow, sleet or hail.

Evaporation
Water vapour cools and returns to
Accumulation liquid.

Condensation The Sun heats up water and it

becomes water vapour (a gas).

Transpiration Water evaporated from a plant.

2. Check the true statements.

The Earth always has the same amount of water.

The Moon is important to the water cycle.
Oceans hold most of the Earth’s water.

3. List the four stages of the water cycle.

1. Accumulation
2. Evaporation
3. Condensation
4. Precipitation
4. What are clouds formed of?
Clouds are formed of water droplets that have come together.
5. Explain the process of evaporation in your own words.
Example answer: Evaporation happens when water is heated up and
turns into the gas, water vapour
6. Why is precipitation important to plants and animals?
Precipitation is important to plants and animals because it gives water
for the animals to drink and for plants to use to help grow.
 The Water Cycle
You drink water every day, but have you ever asked how old
the water is? The Earth always has the same amount of water
and it moves through a cycle. The water in your cup today
could have been the same water a dinosaur once took a bath
in! The water cycle is important to life on Earth,
but it is important to know that without the
Sun there would be no water cycle.

There are four stages of the water cycle.

Accumulation liquid to a gas, the process is

The first stage of the water called evaporation.
cycle is water accumulation.
Water can be evaporated
Water accumulation is water
from plants. This is called
that is stored in rivers, lakes,
transpiration. You can see
and oceans. Oceans are the
evaporation by finding a
largest water accumulations
puddle near your home after a
because they hold 97 percent of
rainstorm. As time passes, you
the Earth’s water. Accumulation
will see that the puddle gets
can also be groundwater, which
smaller. This is because the
is water that goes into the
water is evaporating.
Earth’s surface, and is absorbed
by roots to help plants grow.

Evaporation
As the Sun shines on
accumulated water, the water
heats up and turns into water
vapour. Water vapour is a gas,
so it rises into the air. When
the Sun changes water from a

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 The Water Cycle
Condensation
When water vapour is in the air, it cools. As
it cools, the water vapour forms back into a
liquid. Groups of water droplets come together
to form clouds. When water changes from a
gas (water vapour) to a liquid, this process is called
condensation.
Even if there are no clouds in the sky, there is still water in the air.
Clouds are not the only place to see condensation. On a hot day,
you may take a cold glass of water outside. After some time, you
feel that the outside of your cup is wet. Is the cup leaking? No, it is
actually water vapour condensing when it cools on the side of your
cup.

Precipitation
As more water condenses in the air, it
becomes heavy. The water will fall back to
Earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow, which is called
precipitation.
When the water falls back to Earth, it gives water to
plants and animals. Some water that does not go into
the soil will run-off, which is when gravity pushes
water to larger accumulations. The water cycle is now
complete and ready to repeat again.
 The Water Cycle
Questions
1. Does the amount of water on Earth change? Explain your answer.

2. List the four stages of the water cycle.

1.

2.

3.

4.

3. Describe an example of evaporation you might see at home.

4. What happens after water vapour is in the air?

5. How does the Sun help the water cycle?

6. Explain precipitation in your own words.

7. Find and copy a phrase that tells you the Sun is important to the water
cycle.

8. What role do oceans play in the water cycle? Explain your answer using
evidence from the text.
 The Water Cycle
Answers
1. Does the amount of water on Earth change? Explain your answer.
The Earth always has the same amount of water and it moves through
a cycle.
2. List the four stages of the water cycle.
1. Accumulation
2. Evaporation
3. Condensation
4. Precipitation

3. Describe an example of evaporation you might see at home

Example answer: You can see evaporation by finding a puddle near
your home after a rainstorm. As time passes, you will see that the
puddle get smaller. This is because the water is evaporating.
4. What happens after water vapour is in the air?
When water vapour is in the air, it cools and becomes liquid again.
These water droplets form clouds.
5. How does the Sun help the water cycle?
The Sun helps in the water cycle by heating water so that it becomes
water vapour, which helps the cycle continue moving.
6. Explain precipitation in your own words.
Example answer: When water condenses in the air, it becomes heavy
and falls back to the Earth as rain, sleet, hail or snow.
7. Find and copy a phrase that tells you the Sun is important to the water
cycle.
Without the Sun, there would be no water cycle.
8. What role do oceans play in the water cycle? Explain your answer using
evidence from the text.
Oceans are the largest water accumulations because they hold 97
percent of the Earth’s water.
 The Water Cycle
You drink and use water every day, but have
you ever wondered where that water has
come from or how old it is? The Earth has a
specific amount of water that goes through a
constant cycle. The water in your glass today
could have been the same water a dinosaur
took a bath in millions of years ago. The
water cycle, also called the hydrologic cycle,
is vital to life on Earth. There are four main
stages of the water cycle, but it is important
to remember that the most important factor
in the water cycle is the Sun.
Accumulation
The first stage of the water cycle is water
accumulation. Water accumulation refers
to water that is stored on Earth’s surface.
This can be in rivers, lakes, and oceans.
The largest water accumulations are in
oceans, which hold nearly 97 percent
of the Earth’s water. Accumulation can
also refer to groundwater, which is water
that seeps into the Earth’s surface, and
is absorbed by roots to help plants grow.

Evaporation
As the Sun shines down on accumulated
water, the water begins to heat up, until it
turns into water vapour. The water vapour
then rises into Earth’s atmosphere. When
the Sun changes water from a liquid to a
gas, the process is called evaporation.

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 The Water Cycle

Water can also evaporate from plants. This is

called transpiration. Plants that live in the desert
develop special adaptations to trap water inside
their leaves.
You can easily observe water evaporating by
finding a puddle near your school or home
after a rainstorm. Throughout the day, you will
notice that the puddle is getting smaller. This is
because the water is evaporating, and turning to
water vapour.

Condensation
After water vapour enters the atmosphere, it begins
to cool. As it cools, it condenses and forms back into
a liquid. Groups of water droplets come together to
form clouds. When water changes from a gas to a
liquid, this process is called condensation.
Even in a cloudless and clear blue sky, there is still
water in the atmosphere. The atmosphere acts as a
road for water because it moves water all around
the Earth. However, clouds aren’t the only place to
observe condensation. On a hot day, you may take
an ice-cold glass of water with you outside. Then
you notice that the outside of the glass is wet. Is
your cup leaking? No, it is actually water vapour
condensing when it cools on the side of your glass.

Precipitation
As more and more water condenses, it becomes too
heavy for the air to hold. The water will fall back
to Earth as rain, hail, sleet, or snow. This process is

Page 2 of 3
 The Water Cycle

known as precipitation and it is important because

it allows the water in the atmosphere to return back
to Earth’s surface.
When the water returns to the Earth’s surface, it
provides water for plants and animals. Water that
does not get absorbed into the soil will experience
an additional stage of the water cycle called run-
off. Run-off is when water is forced by gravity to
move across Earth’s surface towards larger water
accumulations.

Once the water cycle is complete, it repeats over and over again. While
this explains the different stages, each water molecule will travel on a
unique and varied journey during its involvement in each stage of the
water cycle. Water molecules may be kept in a container, drunk, carried
and excreted by an animal, stored by a plant, used to boil pasta, or stay
in the ocean or your neighborhood pool for a long period of time before
they evaporate and begin the next stage of the water cycle.

Page 3 of 3
 The Water Cycle
Questions
1. Does the amount of water on Earth change? Explain your answer.

2. Why is the Sun important to the water cycle?

3. Which is the largest accumulation of water, and how much of Earth’s

water does it hold?

4. Complete the table by writing a description of each stage of the water

cycle.

Stage Description

Accumulation

Evaporation

Condensation

Precipitation

5. Describe an example of condensation you might see in everyday life.

 The Water Cycle

6. What happens when water returns to the Earth’s surface? Describe two
things that might happen.

7. On a clear day, is there water in the atmosphere? Explain your answer.

8. Describe an example of evaporation you might see in everyday life.

9. Find and copy another name for the water cycle.

 The Water Cycle
Answers
1. Does the amount of water on Earth change? Explain your answer.
The amount of water on Earth doesn’t change. The earth has a specific
amount of water that goes through a constant cycle.
2. Why is the Sun important to the water cycle?
The Sun helps in the water cycle by heating water so that it becomes
water vapour, which helps the cycle continue moving.
3. Which is the largest accumulation of water, and how much of Earth’s
water does it hold?
The largest water accumulations are in oceans, which hold nearly 97
percent of the Earth’s water.
4. Complete the table by writing a description of each stage of the water
cycle.

Stage Description

Water accumulation refers to water that

Accumulation is stored on Earth’s surface. It can also
refer to ground water.

When the Sun heats water, it becomes a

Evaporation gas called water vapour and rises into
the Earth’s atmosphere.

After water vapour enters the

atmosphere, it begins to cool. As it
Condensation
cools, it condenses and forms back into a
liquid.
As water condenses in the air it becomes
Precipitation too heavy and falls back to Earth as
rain, hail, sleet or snow.
 The Water Cycle

5. Describe an example of condensation you might see in everyday life.

On a hot day, you may take an ice-cold glass of water with you outside.
Then you notice that the outside of the glass is wet. This is water
vapour condensing when it cools on the side of your glass.
6. What happens when water returns to the Earth’s surface? Describe two
things that might happen.
When the water returns to the Earth’s surface, it provides water for
plants and animals. Water that does not
7. On a clear day, is there water in the atmosphere? Explain your answer.
The water in the atmosphere isn’t just in the clouds. The atmosphere
acts as a road for water because it moves water all around the Earth.
8. Describe an example of evaporation you might see in everyday life.
You can easily observe water evaporating by finding a puddle near
your school or home after a rainstorm. Throughout the day, you will
notice that the puddle is getting smaller. This is because the water is
evaporating, and turning to water vapour.
9. Find and copy another name for the water cycle.
Hydrologic cycle.